To Ask Or Not To Ask
by Goddess Isa
Summary: Willow's turning twenty, and Xander has issues


TITLE: To Ask, Or Not To Ask  
AUTHOR: Goddess Isa   
EMAIL: goddessisa@aol.com  
SUMMARY: Willow's turning twenty, and Xander has issues  
SPOILER: None really  
DISTRIBUTION: My site - http://planetslaythis.homestead.com - Crystal's site, Butterfly's site - Anyone else - sure, just email me & lmk where it's going - I like seeing my name in print =)  
FEEDBACK: Please, I'd hate to have to Slay for it. =P  
RATING: TV-PG  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own these characters, Joss Whedon does. If he ever decides to give them to me, that would be nice. =)  
DEDICATION: To Nikki, 'cause it's her challenge. Congratulations, girlie! =)   
  
  
  
"You ready?" Buffy asked when Xander opened the door to his basement.   
  
"No. Come in."   
  
"Xander, it's just a birthday dinner. You've been doing this with her for fifteen years."   
  
"That's the point. She's twenty, I'm twenty, we're mature and it's time we moved on to other things."   
  
"Xander, what the Hell are you talking about?" Buffy was completely confused.   
  
Xander went over to the file cabinet he used for drawers and pulled out a small velvet box. "I'm talking about this."   
  
"Xander." Buffy took it and looked at the gorgeous rock in awe. "How did you ever afford it?"   
  
"I've worked way more hours than I care to reveal." he smiled nervously. "Now I just need to figure out whether I'm gonna ask her or not."   
  
Buffy nearly dropped the ring. "You don't know whether or not you're gonna ask her?!"   
  
"Is there an echo in here?"   
  
They sat together on his couch and she put an arm around him. "Xander, only you know whether or not you want to propose to Willow, though you're an idiot if you don't do it."   
  
"Thanks for the support," he said dryly.   
  
"Seriously, Xand. Only you can answer that question. You know yourself better than anyone."   
  
"Know thyself?" he asked. "If I knew my self I'd run the other way!"   
  
"Xander," Buffy pushed him aside as she giggled.   
  
"I can't help it." he stood up and there was an awful crunching noise.   
  
"What was that?" Buffy asked warily.   
  
Xander peeked under his shoe and then shrugged. "Just Uncle Rory's Bob Marley CD. He'll live without it."   
  
"That's a nice..." Buffy noticed Xander's TV. "Are you watching Sesame Street?"   
"Well..."   
  
"Xander, why would you do such a thing?"   
  
"I was just thinking about Will, and when we were little, and we used to watch Sesame Street every day after school."   
  
"Cute," Buffy turned the TV off. "You gonna ask her?"   
  
"Don't pressure me!"   
  
  
*****   
  
  
"No, but wait." Anya said for what was the millionth time. Giles rolled his eyes and refused to look at her.   
  
"If you write it out by hand first, don't you just waste a lot of valuable time? I mean, I could use the hour you've spent arguing with me to screw Xander."   
  
"Uh, yes, I'm sure you could find better activities than that to occupy your time but if you seriously want to get an A on this paper, you're going to have to work on it."   
  
She made a face. "Why should I? I don't even like the Constitution."   
  
Giles tried hard not to make a snide insult. "Perhaps not, but your paper is on the Inquisition."   
  
"We're here! We're here!" Buffy said as she entered with Xander. She made a face. "What's that smell?"   
  
"I'm cookin'!" Spike said proudly.   
  
"You're letting him cook?" Buffy demanded of her Watcher.   
  
"He doesn't pay rent." Giles explained. "Just another reason we're taking Willow out to eat."   
  
"Sure you don't wanna try some?" Spike asked. "It's corned beef hash."   
  
Everyone ignored him.   
  
"Speaking of Willow, where is she?" Xander asked, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.   
  
"Stop," Buffy said. "Relax."   
  
"No, and no." he took a deep breath. "I can hardly breathe, let alone--"   
  
"Hey guys," Willow came in wearing a green flowered dress she'd gotten on a recent shopping trip at Old Navy with Buffy. "Ready to go?"   
  
"Happy birthday," they all said.   
"Thanks."   
  
"Uh, before we go," Xander walked over to her. "I have to ask you something."   
  
Willow sat down on the couch and crossed her legs. "Shoot."   
  
Barely breathing as he went through the motions, he got down on one knee, pulled out the ring and opened the box.  
  
"Willow Sarah Rosenberg, for fifteen years, you have been my best friend in the whole world. Would you do me the honor of being my wife?"   
  
"Of course I will!" she flew at him, knocking him down as they rolled around on the floor kissing. When the giggling turned to moaning, Giles and Buffy exchanged a look.   
  
"Let's go," she whispered.   
  
As Giles was pulled out the door, he complained, "But it's *my* apartment!"  



End file.
